Magnitude 6.4 earthquake strikes Taiwan, death toll rises
Digital Reporter
Saturday, February 6, 2016, 6:25 AM - A Magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck southern Taiwan early Saturday morning, toppling buildings and killing at least 14 people.
The tremor, at a relatively shallow 23 km, hit the city of Tainan especially hard. The city of more than two million people is playing host to out-of-town friends and family visiting for Chinese New Year's.
Local and international media were flooded with images from one 17-storey apartment building in Tainan, which collapsed during the quake.
Reuters reports at least nine of the confirmed fatalities, including a 10-day old girl, were in the apartment building. The BBC reports more than 200 people were rescued, with 70 taken to hospital. Reuters reports more than 100 were taken to hospital city-wide.
Several other buildings around Tainan either collapsed, or were listing dangerously.
"I was watching TV and after a sudden burst of shaking, I heard a boom. I opened my metal door and saw the building opposite fall down," one resident told the BBC.
#Taiwan #Earthquake: Buildings are seen leaning to one side after a 6.7 magnitude earthquake hit #Kaohsiung, Sat pic.twitter.com/vklnFG5iSw
— People's Daily,China (@PDChina) February 5, 2016
Rescuers, meanwhile, continue to search for people trapped in the rubble.
Among those are an 18-year-old man was found alive and conscious, with emergency services working to free him, and other residents have their own survival and rescue stories.
"Rescue workers broke through (the building) layer by layer," a 35-year-old woman who was trapped with her two children told the BBC. "And they asked us to climb out but I said my children are too small to climb. So they dug a bigger hole. Then one rescue worker tried his best to climb in and take the children out. Then I slowly climbed out myself."
We Pray for the wellbeing of all the People in the Vicinity of 6.4 magnitude #Earthquake struck in southern #Taiwan. pic.twitter.com/vw78hMKqqR
— MIMY DOSSA (@mimydossa) February 5, 2016
Aside from the damage, power outages have been reported and transportation disrupted to millions of people expecting to be travelling or otherwise celebrating for Chinese New Year.
Several aftershocks have also been reported, with authorities warning more are likely.
"Expect aftershocks hours, days, or weeks after the main quake," The U.S. Geological Survey said in a statement. "Aftershocks can cause building damage and falling debris that could injure you."
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